Chapter Text
12:01 AM, Tuesday
Skateboard: oyts sling, online ka pa pala
Skateboard: don’t stay up too late, sah 🫡
Slingshot: ba’t parang nagbago nanaman typings mo? 😭
Skateboard: luh ayaw mo ba
Skateboard: ayaw mo mag mukhang cool ako dito oh
Slingshot: medyo di ko bet, corny mo
Skateboard: SAKIT MO SAH
Skateboard: pero uys, i’m being fr. it’s late na and ayokong magmuka kang multo 😾
Slingshot: hays, i appreciate the concern pero nagpprepare pa kami ni ate para sa cafe bukas
Slingshot: opening and all, para di mahirapan sila tita
Skateboard: ah oo nga noh, opening pala ng cafe niyo ,, good luck
Skateboard: sa ngalan ni big g ay sasabog cafe niyo ☝️
Slingshot: SASABOG???
Skateboard: IN POPULARITY KASI KYUTS 😰😰😰😰
“Huh.” Slingshot looked at the last message. “Kyuts? Cute?” He found himself chuckling slightly at the little nickname. “Tinawagan akong cute, kapal.”
Just a few meters away from him, Vine Staff, his sister, who seemed to be tidying up the wooden tables and chairs caught the small laugh. “Sling, malapit na kami matapos dito. Pwede mo ‘ko tulungan sa pagwalis?”
“Hm? I thought ginagawa na yun ni Shuriken?” The boy looked up from his phone. “Tinawag siya saglit ni Tito. Oh, mamaya na kaya yan.” His older sister resumed the cleaning.
“Wait, give me a moment. Nangangalay na kamay ko, ‘te.”
“Sling, baka binibigyan mo lang ako ng rason ha.” Vine Staff deadpanned.
“Oh my god, wait lang–”
Slingshot: oh, gotta go
Slingshot: tinatawag na ‘ko ni vine, my break’s over
Skateboard: oks sah 🫡 stay safe
Slingshot: ??? 😭😭 hindi ako pupunta sa labas
Skateboard: KAHIT NA KYUTS, your muscles could strain noh
Skateboard: work and rest well, shots 🤙
Slingshot: oki, good night
Skateboard reacted ❤️ to your message
Ah, this boy and his nicknames. Slingshot ignored the short quick pace in his chest.
“Sling.” His sister called him again.
“Eto na! Sorry!” He went to get up from the stool and leave his phone behind.
12:11 AM, Tuesday
d1s 😳
Skateboard: HEY HEY HEY
Skateboard: mga tolskis buhai pa ba 🤠
Coil: patay na patay
Boombox: buhay na buhay
Boombox: ano yunn skate???
Coil: boombox tulog na tayo, wala namang kwenta siguro sasabihin nyan
Skateboard: HOY
Skateboard: tsk tsk wag, importante talaga 2
Skateboard: soo mag oopening yung cafe nila slingshot bukas, and gusto kong pasabugin agad pag officially open na
Coil: ?????
Coil: PINAGSASABI MO
Coil: HHAAKJSDHKASJHSA
Boombox: SKATE IBA NAMAN YATA SINASABI MO THE HECK 😭😭😭😭😭
Skateboard: BAT KAYO DIN POPULARITY NAMAN TINUTUKOY KO OH GNG 😿😿😿😿
Boombox: bakit kasi ganun yung wording, sabog 😭
Coil: baka gusto mo skate ikaw yung sumabog eh
Skateboard: aray
Skateboard: edi wala na yung pinakapogi nyong kaibigan oh
Coil: buti naman
Skateboard: k dedma
Skateboard: ANYWAYS gng, what i mean is na gus2 ko pumunta tayo sa cafe nila after school para makaroksi ng inumin dun tsaka ma support business ni sling ☝️☝️
Boombox: OFC
Boombox: hope na lang na avail ako agad bukas jsksjskks
Skateboard: hope kay big g wala kang club acts 🙏
Coil: kk sabay na din ako
Coil: basta libre nyo 🙂
Skateboard: MATSALOVE SO MACH COIL AND BB 🫡🫡
Skateboard: @Rocket wbu cuh
Skateboard: sali ka … sama mo na din boyfie mo the more the merrier
Rocket: kailangan ba siya…?
Coil: ayaw mo yun first date niyo
Boombox: trot
Rocket: pota
Rocket: acm nyo ayoko n sumama
Skateboard: JOKE LANG SAH 🥺🥺🥺🥺
Skateboard: i2 naman oh, dali mapikon ,, 😿😿💔
Rocket: ok po
Coil: awit sayo @Skateboard
Skateboard: pls ,, i’m sincerely apologizing na oh ,,
Skateboard: seruse, treat ko kayo ni boyfriend mo bukas as a sincerest apology 🙏
Rocket: sincerest apology ampota
Rocket: puro bf bf, ano muna pangalan niya 🙂
Skateboard: ano
Skateboard: shuriken
Rocket: ???
Boombox: SKATE HUY YAN YUNG BOYFRIEND KO 😭😭😭😭
Skateboard: AY GAGI
Skateboard: SI SWORD PALA SORRY ROCKKETTTHAFJAHDJKHHJSDAHJKWA
Coil: BWHAHSAKHAHSJAJHSAD TANGIJNA
Rocket: KINGINA NAMAN
Rocket: lord dami niyong alam
Rocket: matutulog nako puta
Coil: wow ah, first time
Coil: sinasabihan ka siguro ni sword na matulog ng maaga
Rocket: syfm
Coil: 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺
Boombox: kayo sana ni slingshot @Skateboard 🥰🥰🥰
Skateboard: ay weh 😍😍😍
Boombox: keyword: sana
Skateboard: ay ok po
Skateboard: bounce na q mga tol, maaga pa dapat ang tao dito 😎
Coil: sabi niya yan pero dadating na yan sa subject ni sir fire bukas
Skateboard: ANO BA
Skateboard: goodnight mga sah sleep is well except kay @Coil 🤙☝️
Coil: whatever 🙄🙄🙄🙄
7:07 AM.
Coil had jinxed the fact that Skateboard would be late, but that wasn’t thanks to him not setting his own alarm, the lack of jeepneys while waiting for one before getting on a bus that took 10 minutes to get gas, and him tying his shoelaces. He did clutch his arrival, thanks to their adviser being late as well. So that would buy Skate some time to walk around outside.
But of course, after texting Slingshot.
Skateboard: good morning kyuts, nasa klase ka na noh? 😎😎
Skateboard: late si maam kaya magpaparefresh ang g dito by walking 🤫🤫
Slingshot: nope, paalis palang skjjksdjk. we’re going to be really late kasi nakatulog kami nila vine at ni shuri habang nag oorganize 🥲
Skateboard: aray quoh
Skateboard: cno ba first sub nyu
Slingshot: sir ghost 😭😭😭😭 substitute namin ngayon
Slingshot: sana di magalit huhuhu, kahit dumating man lang ng late please
Skateboard: aray QUUOOHHHH
Skateboard: i wish u luck. 🫡
Slingshot: ?
Slingshot: IS HE THAT STRICT?
Well, the walk's been delayed. The skater had closed his own phone on time as soon as their adviser entered the room. She was a really strict teacher, and obviously phones weren’t allowed during class so Skateboard knew better to focus and be a good student.
It was pretty quiet in their classroom, since Windforce did not tolerate any kind of noise like talking during class time. Which is what most of their teachers are like. All you could hear were ballpens writing, chairs creaking every few minutes, and the hum of the air conditioning. And maybe Coil’s random dumbass whispers to Skateboard made to either ragebait or make him laugh. To ease the tense silence at least. Hey, the latter didn’t laugh out loud though. Only an audible chuckle.
Man, this is boring. Skate would've expected their adviser to crack a few dry jokes but it seemed like her coffee was done the wrong way today. She's doubled her strictness, huh. He started doodling a few cats on some scratch paper, and it looked below average in terms of looks. Whatever, it was cute in some way.
...
Skate drops the pen. Screw this, he misses his best friend.
His eyes narrowed at the random notification who just said who replied to his post. His seatmate. Coil. Skate’s head slowly turned to glare incredulously at the guy. He stared back and shrugged. “What?”
Actually, screw Coil this time. Look who messaged!
Slingshot: AGGHGHHGHGHGHH
Slingshot: na late ako, skate 🥲🥲 buti di naman kahigpit si sir ghost ngayon so that’s fine
Slingshot: sinabihan kami nila vine to be more mindful sa oras next time, hayst
Slingshot: update you later, i’m in class na. 😸
Something in Skateboard lit up at the update, which prompted him to giggle in the middle of a serious questioning. And drop his phone. Unfortunately, for this idiot, the classmates in front and beside them turned their heads at the sudden thud of a cellular device.
The culprit gulped. He slowly raised his head to be met with stares that were clearly meant to be annoyed. Especially Rocket. Oh, and to mention, Windforce.
She was not having it. "Bautista, do you mind explaining to the class kung ano ginagawa mo?"
...Fuck.
"I expect na your behavior will be more better in the future, Bautista. Alam mo na hindi ko tinotolerate ko ang pag-gamit ng selpon sa klase."
Skateboard's adviser sat across from him, arms crossed with a serious look on her face, while the skater quietly nodded in sweat thanks to his own nervousness and lack of air conditioning. It was the end of class for the day and Windforce had to talk with him about... whatever happened first period earlier with his phone.
"Pasensya na po talaga ma'am, I'll try my best to not do that again..." The boy forced himself to look up at her, only to be slightly washed with relief to seeing his adviser not that angry anymore. "That's what I heard before." she sighed, 'Wag mo na ulitin, or ma i-cconfiscate ko ang selpon mo for the rest of the school year." Windforce uncrossed her arms. "Pwede ka nang umuwi."
The skater almost fell backwards from standing up so quickly, steadying himself as he grabbed his bag tight before leaving the perfectly kept room. He was then greeted with a 4th year college student, well specifically, Windforce's son, president of the school's student council and well known narcissist. Ban Hammer. The taller guy, Skateboard assumed he was waiting for his mother.
"Kung ano nanaman ginawa mo pala ha, nagseselpon sa klase?" And eavesdropping on their talk, apparently. "Plano mo ipa-high blood nanay ko?"
Nope, he's not going to have this dense senior's bullshit today! "Nyenye, 'di ko na uulitin ba. Dedma." Skateboard sprinted away from Ban Hammer who had been baffled by being walked away from a conversation. Good for him.
...Anyway, he has his phone back. Time to update his group chat who left him like minutes ago to go to the cafe.
Skateboard: bumalik na ang king ng streets gng 😎😎😎
Skateboard: kainis, sinermonan ako ni maam tapos andun pala anak nya sa gedli gedli lang pota
Skateboard: at least di sa harap ni kyuts ✌️
Coil: tagal mo mapagalitan ni maam hinihintay ka na lang talaga namin
Coil: wala kyuts mo dito 😂😂😂😂
Skateboard: LEG8?
Skateboard: baka may ginagawa pa sa school hahahahah 🥲🥲 di nagsabi
Rocket: nandito, baliw
Rocket: pa fake news tong si coil, nasa kusina nila tumutulong
Skateboard: ay
Skateboard: oki otw na heheheh, order natin lahat mga g 😼
Rocket: may plano ka bang patayin kami at ng crush mo?
Skateboard: OVER SA PATAY
If he actually brought his skateboard to school, Skate would've rode on it already and use it to get on the way to the cafe. Oh well, guess he'll have to make a run for it, it's only a few blocks away. He doesn't want to keep his friends waiting a lifetime.
He took a sharp left out the school gate and ran.
The cafe continued warming up its atmosphere thanks to its customers, even if the amount could fit in one small bus. It didn’t matter to the staff operating, as long as it had people enjoying their service, eating their unique delicacies…
Well, one table seemed to sit by. The waiter, Shuriken, walked to the table.
“‘Mag-oorder na ba kayo, or…” Boombox shook his head. “Hintayin na lang ng konti, ang tagal kasi ni Skate, Shuri.” He smiled along with his eyes.
“Haa, tagal talaga.” An exasperated sigh from Coil cut the air. “Rocket, asan na yun? Sa bahay niya?”
“Walang reply. ‘Yaan mo na ah.” Rocket replied while tapping his phone repeatedly. Boombox recognized the pattern and chatted him up for a bit related to a rhythm game.
tung tung sahur (Skateboard) to d1s 😳
HELP
NAWAWALA WALLET KO 😿😿😿😿😭😭😭😭😿😿😭😭
Rocket glared at the message as he missed a combo. “Kinginang…”
“Jusko.” Coil scouted through the front of his bag and pulled out a small red, spider-like themed wallet then waved it into the warm air. “Ito pala pinoproblema ni Skate ngayon.” He looked at the wallet again. "Lintek na wallet na yan ba."
The waiter, along with his partner, cracked a laugh. All of a sudden, the bell above the cafe door rang and there rushed Skateboard, a sweaty mess. Thank the running and hellish weather for that.
At the same time, Shuriken was called by his sibling to serve one of the other customers in the restaurant as the skater sprinted his way toward the group table. “Gang, nakita niyo wallet ko–”
“Oh, oh ito na. Pera mong isang milyon.” Coil flopped it onto his hand and scooted a bit for Skate to have room to sit on. He glared at the guy for a bit. “Kinuha mo pa talaga eh, noh?”
“Patawa o trip mo?” Skate asked.
“Parang parehas naman tinatanong mo.”
“Tatawa ako ng malakas dito Coil, ge boi.”
“Sige, gawin mo.”
“Huy, o-order pa ba tayo guys o magdadaldal pa?” Boombox cut them off, growing a little bit impatient.
Rocket seemed to be immune from the bullshit his friends were doing instead of dining in like normal customers.
“Mukha pa naman di kayo gutom eh.” He swiped an app away and set the phone aside to look at them. “Ako oo, eh yung dalawang ‘to kahit ano pang ginagawa…” The musician replied, resting his arms on the clean wooden table.
“Kei, eto na talaga. Coil kasi.” Skateboard set his bag on the chair. “Ano order niyo, guyz?”
“Aba malay namin, wala kami menu?” Coil retorted in a way it sounded like the obvious shit ever.
Rocket huffed. “Tangek yan? Malamang sa counter kayo titingin?”
“Ay ganun.”
“Pinakamatalino sa group natin by the way.” Skate slid in.
“Rocket nakalimutan ka oh???” Oh, and Boombox too.
“Bahala kayo d’yan, pasko pa tayo mag o-order–”
Rocket: 2 berry cupcake 1 mocha 1 macchiato 2 praf matcha
tangina niyo mga 15 minutes pa bago pumili
Skateboard: sorri po your highness 😿😿😿😿🥺🥺🥺🥺
Rocket: 👍
“Okay na.” Boombox set their phone aside and smiled. “Leche na yan, dapat inorder ko din pala yung matcha eh.” Coil visibly glared between the musician’s drink and his, a mocha. “Or hindi, baka magmukha akong performative male."
“Dami mong alam. Inumin mo na lang yung mocha mo please.” Rocket replied simply while biting the straw of his own drink.
Skateboard seemed to be lost in thought for a while, frequently looking at the counter or the small door leading to the kitchen of the cafe. The group could already assume who he was looking for.
“Skate, inom muna. Makikita mo naman si Sling mamaya eh.” Boombox told him.
“Ih, wait lang.” Skate quickly sipped his drink and pulled out his phone. “Ay, maghihingi nanaman ‘to ng update…” Coil groaned.
Skateboard: slingggg
Skateboard: r u busy ba jan??
Skateboard: well probs lolz, nandi2 kami ng gng ko btw 😸😸
Sent a photo.
Skateboard: work well kasi mag oorder pa kami ☝️
He was just about to set his phone off and drink his macchiato, but seconds after he sent messages to Slingshot, a notification appeared.
Slingshot reacted 🩵 to your message.
And then he started coughing on his drink like poison was put into these things. The three friends immediately looked at the dying-like Skateboard. "Huy, okay ka lang?" Boombox looked the most concerned out of them.
Skateboard cleared his own throat. "Wala, gagi–" Oh there there, he coughed a bit more. "May nakita lang ako na meme."
"Kingina Skate, pag ikaw di pala pwede d'yan sa iniinom mo—" Coil, at first glance you would think he was patting his back for him to cough out whatever he choked on, but it felt like the skater being kicked by a horse. "Wala nga–! pota, tumigil ka na sa likod ko, uy—" The other two couldn't help but laugh a little at their dynamic as Coil started to act like some Asian parent nagging about their child towards Skateboard.
4:43 in the afternoon. Skate and his friends had been here for almost an hour. And oh was it worth it going here. The cupcakes had the right balance of sweetness and flavor to it, according to Boombox, the matcha actually tasted like matcha and not just water, said Rocket, and Coil just said simply that the food was fine. Too much of a tsundere to admit it was more than that, the skater thought. They were all chatting with their drinks half empty now, the topic mostly about today's classes.
"Ah, kaya pala." Coil took a sip of his own drink. "Ano, kala ko kasi nag away kayo ni Sword kaya ayaw mo siya isama eh." Rocket's expression blanked out. "Kahit ano na lang maiisip mo, Coil..."
Plus Rocket's boyfriend too, apparently. "Omsim, sweet niyo naman. 'Diba Skate?" Their musician friend turned to a skater on their phone.
"Oo, oo. Ang cool."
"Haha, nai-inggit na siguro 'to." Coil teased.
"Ano ba, potek– kita mong nagseselpon yung g dito???"
"Inggiiitttt." Their friend teased further, dragging out the word. "Ang bully mo talaga, Coil..."
Skateboard: ngl gng gusto q pa
One of their friends opened their phone to a notification. "I-chachat mo pa talaga sa'min, Skate?" Rocket sighed to look at him before replying back.
Rocket: edi sinabi mo na lang talaga sana imbis imessage???
Rocket: pass, uuwi na ko THANKFULLY ☺️☺️☺️
Skateboard: ANUE B YAN
Coil: ako din e
Oh, he joins in as well.
Skateboard: ay ikaw di ako maniniwala na bounce kana din agad
Skateboard: sbi mo nga na mamaya ka pa oh
Coil: ay 😂😂🤣🤣 slip of the tongue
Coil: ge order pa tayo
Skateboard: 👍
Rocket: tatakaw amp
Boombox noticed that his friend next to him was already packing their stuff. "Oh, aalis ka na pala Rocket?" Rocket nodded. "Oo, minemessage na 'ko ni papa eh. mag ingat na lang kayo."
"Ayaw mo ng take out? O-order pa kami." Coil randomly offered as their friend was about to get up. They considered for some time before shaking their head. "Uh, okay lang." Rocket clutched their bag. "Bukas na lang ulit. Bye."
"Byee Rocket!! Ingat!!"
"Isama mo si Sword bukas!"
Skateboard laughed a bit as he spotted the not so discreet flip off to Coil.
“Bukas ulit!” Boombox and Coil walked out as they waved goodbye to their friend at the counter. Skateboard turned back to the cashier, another friend as he watched her arrange the money. “Soooo, nagpapahinga pa si Sling?”
Vine sighed as she placed the last of the bills neatly onto the cash drawer. “Mhm, andyan lang yan, kinakausap pa ni Tita. Mag o-order ka pa ba ulit?” She asked. “Pang apat mo nang balik sa counter.”
Skate laughed heartily. “‘Di na, busog na ko. Tsaka, aalis naman na din ako eh, kakausapin ko lang saglit si Slingshot.”
“Hmhm, ang cute nyo ng kapatid ko.” Skate felt a warm feeling rise up to his face, but his look immediately went to the figure walking out of the kitchen. Slingshot! His eyes lit up.
Vine Staff moved a bit for the two friends to talk. “Palit na ba? Ikaw na bahala, Sling?” Her sibling nodded. “Oo, pahinga ka muna daw sabi ni tita kung pagod ka na.” Slingshot gestured a little goodbye as she nodded off to the kitchen. Then he faced Skateboard. “Oh?”
In a smug tone, “Musta araw mo?” Skateboard said. Slingshot deadpanned and sighed. “Yun lang? Okay lang naman…”
“Huy, ‘di lang sah. Gusto ko din sabihin na maganda mga sineserve niyo dito, ‘no.” He propped his arm on the side of the counter. “Parang nasa fine dining lang ako.”
“Sus, Skate. Balang araw, magiging ganyan din cafe namin.” Slingshot scoffed, smiling softly. “Pero thanks, iaabot ko din yan kanila tita.” Skate didn’t catch himself staring at the curve of his lips a little longer. “Oh, may sasabihin ka pa?”
“Heh, eto na, eto na.” Skate took his arms off the side, coming close to Slingshot.
“You know Sling, your cafe is awesome. Like, umabot talaga exactly sa iniimagine ko, like sa service, menu and vibes ng place malupit. And dahil dun, alam mo gagawin ko?”
Slingshot might’ve felt a bit embarrassed at the praise. “Ano…?”
“Mag o-order ako dito. Araw araw. To the point ako maging number 1 customer niyo.” Skateboard said so simply, but his words felt so sure and his tone had a hint of, hm, maybe his own way of being serious.
“E-eh? Plano mo maging regular?” He was growing flustered by the moment. “Kaya mong bumili araw araw?"
His friend nodded. “Oo. Baka inaalala mo pa pera ko? Tapos gagawin mong libre orders ko? Kasi pwede naman, kyuts.” Skateboard grinned annoyingly. Annoyingly cute. What.
“Ah jusko, pag tumino ka.” Slingshot flicked him playfully, the skater yelping “ARAY” in the most exaggerated way possible. He crossed his arms. “Pero to be honest, buying from us doesn’t just help, you know.”
Skateboard rubbed his head a bit, looking at him. “Kahit gawin nyo ko waiter o palinisin, no objection talaga.”
“Di ka matatamad?”
“Grabe ka naman sa kaibigan mo, Sling…”
“Hoy– baka madali kang mapagod eh! I’m just– looking out for you din…”
“De, kaya yan. Masipag naman ako.” Skateboard gave him a reassuring smile. Slingshot eventually gave in and sighed. “Kung saan ka masaya… pero thanks a lot. Sure ka ba?”
“Oo naman, I do it for free, kyuts.’’ The temporary cashier wasn’t sure if it was a joke. A customer interrupted the two friends and Slingshot excused himself from the conversation. “See ya, Sling. Text na lang kita tungkol dun.”
Slingshot nodded as he watched Skateboard clutch his backpack, walk off to the exit as he smiled at him.
“Ingat!” His heart fluttered as he smiled back and got back to the customer.
The skater had gone out the right time, immediately catching up to a bus that just stopped near the cafe. As he hopped on and took a seat, he'd liked the posts Boombox had tagged him in, scrolling through his phone after paying the fare as a way to pass time.
Of course, all of that wasn't just to pass time. Skateboard was waiting for a text or so.
And man was it worth it to wait.
Slingshot: ingat! in case di mo ko narinig kanina, lol
Slingshot: by the way, sabi nila tita na pwede ka tumulong bukas
Slingshot: yan, pinayagan ka na nila ha 🙄
Slingshot: ingat uli sa pag uwi!
The same flutter Slingshot felt returned to Skateboard. He could reply to that later, so he simply reacted with a heart emoji of his own and locked the screen. The skater looked out the bus window, a warm orange sunlight dressing the buildings and his bag on the empty seat next to him.
Skateboard didn't know why, but this day felt more... laid back than most of his chaotic days. I mean sure, their school day went on with his group's usual shenanigans but it wasn't all over-the-top like it was supposed to be. Had his little crush been the reason?
Okay, no what? Haha. He shook his head. He meant happy crush. But Skate silently basked in the calm bus as a TV above the driver's cockpit played an old teleserye and the cold air hitting him below his seat. Well, this was an unfamiliar but welcome scenario.
A rush of some motivation ran over the skater as he was reminded of his little conversation a while ago.
“De, kaya yan. Masipag naman ako.”
“Kung saan ka masaya… pero thanks a lot. Sure ka ba?”
“Oo naman, I do it for free, kyuts.’’
Skateboard wore a normal, genuine smile to himself as he thought of tomorrow's plans. He swore he'd try all his best to support his best friend.